CEERE Success Stories

Industrial Assessment Center

Since 1984, the UMass IAC has conducted more than no-cost 700 assessments for a wide range of manufacturing facilities across the northeast. On average, our clients have implemented three of our recommendations, which reduced their annual operating costs by $33,000 and carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 300,000 pounds.

Here are some of our recent success stories:

Stanley Black & Decker saves $28,900/year by implementing UMass IAC recommendations.
Our team conducted an assessment of the Stanley Black & Decker facility in New Britain, Connecticut in 2014. The company is now saving $28,900 annually by implementing our recommendations to install variable frequency drives on injection molding machines, install a blower to dry products after washing, rather than using energy-intensive compressed air, insulate the boiler condensate tank, and select high-efficiency models when purchasing new injection molding machines. The energy savings paid for the implementation cost in 2.3 years after incentives from Eversource. The company is still considering implementating some of our other recommendations.

Philips Lightolier saves $85,000/year by implementing UMass IAC recommendations.
Our team conducted an assessment of the Philips Lightolier (a division of Philips Lighting) facility in Fall River, Massachusetts in 2015. The company is now saving $85,000 annually by implementing our recommendations to repair compressed air system leaks, upgrade lighting fixtures, and upgrade to high-efficiency motors with variable frequency drives on scrubber exhaust fans. The energy savings paid for the implementation cost in just a few months, and the lighting upgrades have also improved the work environment for employees.

Osram-Sylvania saves $178,000/year by implementing UMass IAC recommendations.
Thanks to our assessment in 2007, Osram-Sylvania staff found that several pieces of equipment in their Central Falls, Rhode Island facility were operating out of range or operating needlessly. Based on our recommendations, the company made modifications to their equipment that resulted in annual savings of nearly $178,000, with an overall simple payback period of under one year.

A food processing facility in Vermont saves $60,000/year by implementing all of UMass IAC's recommendations.
In our assessment of the facility, a team of students and faculty considered the efficiency of manufacturing processes, reviewed all large energy-consuming equipment, compiled a waste inventory, and investigated the potential for waste reduction and improved disposal or recycling methods. The company decided to implement all nine of our recommendations, including process improvements, modifications to the HVAC and compressed air systems, and lighting upgrades and occupancy sensors. These measures will result in annual savings of more than $60,000.

The UMass IAC helped a fabricated metals manufacturer to reduce its energy costs by more than 15%.
In 2014, the UMass IAC conducted an assessment for a fabricated metal product manufacturer in southern New England. Within a year, the client implemented five of our eight recommendations, including eliminating leaks in their compressed air system, optimizing the plant's power factor, and installing more efficient lighting. The total annual savings of $45,000 reduces the plant's energy costs by more than 15%.

See our IAC page for more information and contact Dr. Beka Kosanovic to apply for a no-cost asessment: kosanovic@umass.edu, 413-545-0684

Combined Heat and Power

Our center has conducted more than no-cost 130 CHP feasibility studies over the past decade. Following are examples of successful CHP installations we have assisted with:

University of Massachusetts Amherst Central Heating Plant
In 2009, a new central heating plant began operating here on the UMass Amherst campus. We were involved in two aspects of the plant's design: (1) using modeling software to optimize system size and performance, which allowed the designers to reduce the number of package boilers installed in the plant from the four initially planned to three, and (2) modeling the steam distribution system to provide physical plant managers an opportunity to evaluate system performance and evaluate potential modifications. Since then, we have continued to work with physical plant staff on system optimization.

Wood-Fired CHP System at Seaman Paper
In a facility-wide assessment through the IAC program, we identified an opportunity to reduce operating costs at the Seaman Paper facility in Otter River, Massachusetts by installing a wood-first CHP system. The company was interested in pursuring that recommendation further, so we then conducted a more in-depth CHP feasibility study. The CHP system was installed in 2009 and it has saved the company over $1.5 million annually.